Alcoholic Entrepreneurs Confused Over The Alcoholic Drink Bill

JAKARTA - The Draft Law (RUU) on Alcoholic Drinks or Minol was again discussed in the DPR's legislative body after being proposed by 21 members of the Indonesian Parliament who came from three different factions, namely PPP, PKS, and Gerindra. This is known from the explanatory documents of the Minol Bill proposers uploaded on the official website of the parliament.

In the document, it is stated that the objectives of the proposers for the Minol Bill were to protect the public from negative impacts, create order and peace in society from mineralol drinkers, and raise public awareness about the dangers of Minol.

The Indonesian Malt Beverage Industry Association (GIMMI) said the bill on the prohibition of alcoholic drinks was a discussion that had been surfacing since 2015. However, until now there have been no recent developments related to this bill.

GIMMI Executive Committee, who is also a director at PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk (MLBI), Ika Noviera said, so far the association is still monitoring the progress of the discussion of the bill.

"Regarding the Minol Bill, we have only followed the developments reported by the media. We are still monitoring the progress," he said, when contacted by VOI, in Jakarta, Friday, November 13.

Meanwhile, Director of PT Delta Djakarta Tbk (DLTA) Ronny Titiheruw also gave the same answer. "We just followed the progress of this bill in the media and are still monitoring it," he said.

Even so, PT Delta Djakarta Tbk (DLTA) confirmed that currently the company is still selling various types of alcoholic drinks. Liquors such as Beer and Wine are still being produced.

Ronny said that the company continues to pay close attention to the contents of the bill which prohibits alcoholic beverages. The company will take steps, if it is decided and formalized.

As is known, the public is again enlivened by the emergence of the Bill on Alcoholic Drinks (Minol). In this draft law, producers to sellers of alcoholic drinks face a 10-year sentence and a fine of Rp1 billion.

This was stated in Chapter IV concerning Criminal Provisions in the draft Minol Prohibition Bill which journalists received from the leadership of the DPR Legislation Body (Baleg).

Through Articles 18 to 21 in that chapter, those who violate the regulations for producing, importing, storing and / or distributing alcoholic drinks will be sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of 10 years or a fine of at least Rp200 million and a maximum of Rp1 billion.

Meanwhile, people who consume alcoholic beverages will be sentenced to a minimum of three months in prison and a maximum of two years or a fine of at least Rp. 10 million and a maximum of Rp. 50 million.

If the violation results in the loss of the life of another person, the punishment shall be the principal sentence plus one third. Regarding the provisions on the prohibition of alcoholic drinks, it is stated in Articles 5, 6 and 7.

However, there are exceptions in Article 8. Alcoholic drinks are allowed for limited purposes, such as customary interests, religious rituals, tourists, pharmacies, and places permitted by statutory regulations. The provisions are regulated in a Government Regulation (PP).

The types of alcoholic drinks in this bill are group A (ethanol content less than 5 percent), group B (ethanol content between 5 to 20 percent), and group C (ethanol content between 20 to 55 percent). Apart from that, traditional and mixed or concocted alcoholic drinks are also prohibited in Article 4 Paragraph (2).